Stoke Parish Council

STOKE PARISH COUNCIL WWW.STOKE-PC-WORCS.GOV.UK

Issue 2011.4 NEWSLETTER FOR THE FESTIVE

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE Yet another year has passed and I’m not sure where it went! I foresee great changes in the powers of the Parish Council in the forthcoming years. The localism Bill winds it way through the Government Inside this issue: process; I have Chairman’s 1 watched some of the message debates on television and feel that I would have been better occupied watching paint Christmas refuse 2 dry! So, contrary to my expectations of last & recycling infor- year I think there is still some way to go. mation I remain very suspicious and sceptical that Councillor Profile 3 the outcome of the proposed changes to the Council meeting 3 planning regime will be of benefit to the dates community, although no doubt it will be of considerable benefit to those with Spotlight on the 4 commercial interest in the area. I cannot community - understand the government saying that Wizzafest easing planning controls is the key to Michael Banham - 6 invigorating the economy. The Story of a On a lighter note, Cllr Sue Able has Stoke lad suggested that as a progression from our Concessions for 7 hanging basket competition, we hold an open blue badge hold- garden weekend in 2012. Anyone interested ers in opening their garden for the public to view Winter 2010 in 7 (maybe with a small donation to a local the Stokes charity) should contact Councillor Able. Contacts 8 2

As we go to press we are confronted with the huge problem of travellers setting up camp on our recreation ground at Stoke Heath. The Parish Council is very actively taking action to have these people evicted from the site. Parishioners can be assured that the Parish Council is doing everything that can legally be done to bring the play area back to its usual good standard.

During the forthcoming year we are planning a public consultation, together with the District Council, regarding a recreation area in Stoke Heath’ on the field adjacent to Tollhouse Road. We are also planning an open forum on any other parish projects. Please do not hesitate to contact your local councillor should you have any suggestions. All that remains is for me to wish one and all a joyous festive season and a happy and peaceful New Year.

Kind regards to you all, JOHN ELLIS Chairman, Stoke Parish Council

Christmas 2010 Recycling & Refuse Collections There are no changes to your collections during Christmas or New Year. Please place your wheeled bin out by 7.00 a.m. on your usual day of collection. 3

COUNCILLOR PROFILE - CLLR SARAH BANHAM

Hello My name is Sarah Banham and I have recently joined the Parish Council as a member for the Stoke Prior Ward. I’m 35 years old and married to my husband Luke Banham who is a qualified accountant. We lived in Stoke Prior for eight years but have recently moved to Wychbold. Luke’s father is Michael Banham who owns the Metal and Ores Business Park on the Hanbury Road, Stoke Prior. I have worked for many years in the horse industry, becoming a qualified riding instructor along the way. This work involved training show jumpers that compet- ed at levels such as Hickstead and the Horse of the Year Show. I am now a self -employed riding instructor and dog trainer. I have previously worked as a dog warden with the Redditch and Bromsgrove Dog Warden Services helping the public by reuniting them with their lost dogs. I also worked hard trying to find homes for all of the stray dogs in the area. Some of my work involves teaching people with disabilities who want to learn to ride. I also help those who have badly behaved dogs. Working with people and their animals gives me great pleasure. I get great sat- isfaction from helping in any way I can, which is why I decided to join the Parish Council so that I can help and join in more in the community I really enjoy meeting new people and trying to help them. So feel free to contact me with any problems which I will take back to the parish council to try and resolve the issue. Sarah Banham

The Parish Council will meet on the following dates in the first part of 2011: Monday 9th January 2012 Monday 6th February 2012 Monday 5th March 2012 The January & February meetings will take place in the Garden Room at Avoncroft Arts Centre and the March and April meetings will take place at Stoke Prior First School. All meetings begin at 7.00 p.m. 4

SPOTLIGHT ON THE COMMUNITY — WIZZAFEST RAISING MONEY FOR MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT

Wizzafest returns to Stoke Prior in 2012. The seventh annual Wizzafest raised £2,074.50 for Macmillan Cancer Support in 2011 and we are back in 2012 for the eighth year to raise even more! We always have a packed line up starting at 8pm Friday evening until 12pm Sunday. 2012 acts will include Samba bands, a gospel choir, various local and national bands from all genres, wind bands, workshops as well as a whole range of stalls, children’s activities, raffles and fantastic prizes on offer. Wizzafest has a fantastic following and always has a community spirit and we all work together and strive to simply make a difference to the lives of others. The full line up will be confirmed nearer the time and you can view all information on www.wizzafest.com where you can join our mailing list to receive updates.

Someone At The Door Faye Tozer from Steps (Bromsgrove Samba band) (with members of The Emma Skipp Band) How can you help? Wizzafest is in the planning stages for 2012 and you can be involved in many ways:  Could you volunteer as camping and parking stewards during the event?  Do you have a hobby or small business and can book a stall/pitch on Wizza street?  Could you help with the setting up and packing down?  Do you know someone who could donate raffle/auction prizes?  Do you run workshops for kids? 5

 Could you sponsor us or helping to gain sponsorship?  Could you volunteer to do a shift on the registration or infomation desk?  Could your company/service bring anything to our event? If you think you can add something special to this weekend, would like to become involved as a volunteer or would just like more information please email [email protected]

Wizzafest takes place from the 20 – 22nd July 2012 at Stoke Prior Sports and Country club

Earlybird weekend tickets are £20 (including 2 nights camping and parking) day tickets and evening tickets will all be going on sale soon so join us and help us to help Macmillan Cancer Support.

Macmillan in your community

We want to be able to reach every single person who is diagnosed with cancer and to be there for them at every stage of their cancer journey, no matter who they are, what part of the country they live in, or what type of cancer they have. We will reach them by helping to make life better, in however large or small a way, through our services. Macmillan Cancer Support raises money to support people affected by cancer, in your local community. There is a strong team of Macmillan health professionals in Worcestershire, all of whom are helping people living with cancer in our hospitals and local com- munities. The people of Worcestershire benefit from a wealth of experienced and profes- sional cancer care specialists and with your support, we can help to increase the range of nursing support we can offer in our local community. Our financial support will enable Macmillan to further develop other vital new services for Worcestershire cancer patients and help them to support everyone living with cancer. 6 MICHAEL BANHAM - THE STORY OF A STOKE LAD (Part 1) Many of our parishioners know of Michael Banham, owner of the Metal & Ores Site in Hanbury Road but I wondered if many know of his early years as a boy and how, through hard work and determination, succeeded in business to become the man he is today. After many discussions with his daughter Nicky Ban- ham and his daughter-in-law Sarah Banham, I thought it would be nice to share his story with you. It is a fascinating story of someone who proved that hard work does bring just rewards. Michael Banham was born in 1945 to a farming family and as he grew up he be- came involved in the workings of his father’s farm. By 1956, at the age of 11 years old he worked as a labourer on his father’s farm for two days every week. Michael was paid 5 shillings for those two days which is the equivalent of just 25p in today’s money. His father gifted a bullock to Mi- chael and told him he would have to work hard to earn the money to care for the bullock as it was his responsibility to look after it and help pay for keeping the bullock in feed. Just a year later, at the tender age of 12 years, he worked every day on the family farm. At the same time he nurtured and fed the bullock with the help of his father who gave him the feed cake to fatten up the bullock. In 1960 when still only 15 years of age he sold the bullock for £110, which was a fortune in those days. Out of that £110 he paid back £12 to his father who had provided the feed cake for the bullock to fatten it up. He was now free of debt to his father who had given him the start he wanted. This was an early indication that Michael was well on the way to becoming very shrewd in the business world. When he left school he started an apprenticeship as a sheet metal worker at S & B Sheet Metal, and was paid £2 and 2 shillings per week in old money (that wouldn’t have bought you a pint of beer today). Michael paid half of his wages to his mother for his keep. Michael missed working on the farm and working outdoors, so In 1961 Michael decided to go back to work on the farm, where he was paid £6 per week. At this time he passed his motorbike test and also got a part time job digging gardens on top of his full time work. Michael was already proving that he wasn’t afraid of hard work and knew where he was going to achieve his goal. In the next issue I will be sharing with you Michael’s teenage years. Maryna Walker 7 CONCESSIONS FOR BLUE BADGE HOLDERS Are you aware that there are concessions for ALL Blue Badge Holders in Bromsgrove District Council Car Parks? If you park for up to 90 minutes, all you pay is the half hour fee of 30 minutes. After this, if you want to stay more than 90 minutes then all you pay is for the time you decide you are staying minus 1 hour; for example if you want to park on a car park for 3 hours then you only have to pay for 2 hours so you pay for 1 hour less than the time you need. If you want to park at ASDA you can do the same but you have to apply for a Smartcard – these can be obtained from your local HUB. To use the Smartcard it has to be registered to one car you use regularly as the card needs the car registration number for number recognition. The card will only work with the vehicle you have registered. To use the Smartcard, you approach the entrance of either Recreation Road South or Churchfields Multi Storey car parks. YOU DO NOT TAKE A TICKET. The entrance barrier should automatically rise for you. When you have finished and wish to leave the car park, insert the smart card into the paystations at the front of ASDA. Pay the required fee and withdraw the card and the one hour of parking will have been deducted from your fee. To leave the car park just wait for the barrier to raise then go safely on your journey. In ‘council speak’ a Blue Badge holder will be; ‘required to pay the mini- mum charge specified in column 4 of Schedule 1 for the initial 90 minutes during which the vehicle is parked in the car park and thereafter the fee payable will be subject to a discount of one hour’. (Taken from Schedule 5 Additional Permits for disabled Persons Badge Holders point 9) This information is available from the Council, if you have any questions you can contact them on 01527 881288.

WINTER 2010 IN THE STOKES Photographs by kind permission of Bailey Photographic, Stoke Prior Contact 8

John Ellis 07504127668 Planning, Communications (Chairman), Stoke Heath recreation area (Chairman) Maryna Walker 01527 577097 Planning, Finance, Communications, Staffing, Parish Plan (Vice-Chairman) Diane Brown 01527 821692 Planning (Chairman), Street Scene & Environment

Jonathan Miller 01527 831942 Youth, Staffing, Street Scene & Environment, Parish Plan, Stoke Works recreation area George Verney 01527 876044 Staffing, Youth, Finance, Parish Plan

Art Lavelle 07859353554 Parish Plan, Street Scene & Environment

Susan Able 07808053556 Parish Plan, Planning, Communications

Sarah Banham 07967700145 Communications

Donnah Morgan 01527 836388 Communications

Keith Shakespeare 01527 575003

David Hughes 01527 833371

Vacancy

Parish Clerk Patrick Callaway 33 Meadowvale Road, Lickey End, Bromsgrove, B60 1JY Tel/Fax 01527 871861 E-mail: [email protected]

Assistant Parish Clerk Mike Booth Tel 01527 836357 E-mail: [email protected]

Parish Website http://www.stoke-pc-worcs.gov.uk

Comments and Articles [email protected]

District Councillors John Tidmarsh (Conservative) 01527 831959 Del Booth (Conservative) 01527 833064

County Councillors Bromsgrove South Division Mrs Maddy Bunker (Conservative) Tel 01527 882414 E-mail [email protected]

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